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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914488">tales told by dead friends</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidents, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen, Ghost Lee Donghyuck, Huang Ren Jun &amp; Lee Donghyuck | Haechan Are Best Friends, Implied Relationships, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Little Shit, Minor Lee Jeno/Mark Lee, Potions, Potions Accident, Witch Huang Ren Jun, Witch Qian Kun, Witches</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:14:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914488</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"You know, it's kinda awesome when you do that," Donghyuck says, floating towards Donghyuck and throwing his arms around him. </p>
<p>Renjun's eye twitches slightly at the cold of Renjun's arms against him and the nonchalance of his words. Sometimes, he wishes Donghyuck wasn't dead, just so Renjun could kill him again. </p>
<p>"I'd be ten times happier if you left me alone," Renjun grunts, channelling all his murderous intent into cutting the tomato. If Donghyuck notices the knife speeding up and seeming more dangerous than before, he doesn't mention it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Huang Ren Jun &amp; Lee Donghyuck | Haechan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>tales told by dead friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i wrote smth like this before but it sucked so now this is here, revamped, like 10% better and with my signature shitty ending. hope you enjoy!</p>
<p>i also realized after writing this that jeno doesn't say a single word and for that, i'm sorry, i swear i love him</p>
<p>title is from mayday parade's album <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2f0BEvtJfkhYIp3k1bDUo4">tales told by dead friends</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Renjun never understood what was so 'cool' about having a ghost best friend. Sure, not many people are </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends </span>
  </em>
  <span>with ghosts, but Renjun was the one experiencing it and he could say that it wasn't as awesome as many people would think. He wonders if it's just because Donghyuck was already a pain in the ass when he was alive, or if all ghosts are so bothersome. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun likes to remind him that he's quite weird when Renjun doesn't react to things the way normal people do. For instance, normal people should be scared of ghosts, but Renjun liked the supernatural ("I'm a witch, what use am I if I'm scared of ghosts?"). In fact, he actually thought Donghyuck was quite cool when they first met — or rather, when Donghyuck appeared in front of him, nearly giving him a heart attack —, but after months of living with him, Renjun has had enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn't bother to contain his groan when he hears something breaking behind him, and he didn't need to have eyes on his back to know it was most likely Donghyuck messing with his potions. Again. He wonders if Donghyuck will ever listen to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns around from where he's chopping vegetables for lunch to stare at Donghyuck with the most unamused face he can muster. Said boy is kneeling down on the floor, right in front of a broken glass bottle in which Renjun usually keeps his potions and he grins innocently at Renjun, pushing himself back up and hiding his arms behind his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun scowls at him, suddenly wishing any of his curses worked on Donghyuck. With just one sweep of his hand, the bottle previously on the floor shakes and snaps back together seamlessly, as if Donghyuck hadn't broken it because he was snooping around, as always ignoring Renjun's pleas to not touch his potions. The brewage on the floor dries and though Renjun could pick it up and put it back on the bottle, he already knows it won't have the same effect. He's learned from his mistakes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You know, it's kinda awesome when you do that," Donghyuck says, floating towards Donghyuck and throwing his arms around him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun's eye twitches slightly at the cold of Renjun's arms against him and the nonchalance of his words. Sometimes, he wishes Donghyuck wasn't dead, just so Renjun could kill him again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'd be ten times happier if you left me alone," Renjun grunts, channelling all his murderous intent into cutting the tomato. If Donghyuck notices the knife speeding up and seeming more dangerous than before, he doesn't mention it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck laughs loudly at him, throwing his head back and making his whole face scrunch up. Renjun thinks he looks cute, but he would rather spend an entire day without magic than letting him know that. Donghyuck's ego is already huge, if he feeds it anymore he might actually make Renjun send him back to his ghost dimension with how insufferable he'd be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're the only thing tying me here, If I left you alone I'd be so bored that I would stop existing and I can assure you no one wants that," Donghyuck grins, pressing a kiss to Renjun's cheek before disappearing. His cold touch sends a shiver down Renjun's spine, though he's already used to it with how touchy Donghyuck is. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun does agree that he would feel sad if Donghyuck left. He's already grown used to his presence and no matter how bothersome Donghyuck is, he's proven to be a great friend and when it's time to be serious, he's a good listener, but he misses the time when he could work on his potions without someone breaking them or mixing them in 'the name of science'. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun rolls his eyes, remembering how many times Donghyuck has bothered him while he works. He used to waste his energy in telling Donghyuck off, but he quickly learnt that Donghyuck was an amazing actor and his apologetic face was a farce when he continued annoying him after all the times he's scolded him. He wonders if the solution lies in letting Donghyuck work with him. He supposes he could try later after he eats. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, his stomach growls, reminding him of his already delicious-smelling soup. He adds the chopped vegetables to the soup and stirs it slowly, before carefully pouring it on two bowls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He brings both of them to the table, not surprised to find his Jeno, his dog familiar, sitting at the table while he waits for Renjun. Despite it being very energy-consuming to remain in his human form, Jeno still preferred it over appearing as a dog and he had found that remaining partly human (that is, looking human but keeping his most prominent dog traits) wasn’t as tiring as being fully human.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During the day, Jeno often disappears. Renjun isn’t sure where he goes, but if he had to guess, he’s sure Jeno spends most of the time with the cute vampire living down the street. He thinks his name is Mark and Jeno has been infatuated with him ever since they met. Renjun finds them adorable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno wiggles in his seat happily and his tail swishes behind him when Renjun sets down the bowl of soup in front of him and by the time Renjun sits down, Jeno has already downed the entire bowl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Were you that hungry?” Donghyuck asks, suddenly appearing from behind Jeno, apparently planning to scare him. He pouts when Jeno doesn’t jump in surprise and Renjun snorts. He ignores the glare Donghyuck sends his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He probably wanted to finish quickly to spend time with Mark,” Renjun coos teasingly, taking a sip from his soup. Jeno flushes and whines, sinking down on the chair and avoiding Renjun’s eye. “But he can’t leave, we need to finish a potion by tonight and I need his help,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck gasps and appears again on Renjun’s lap, grinning suggestively. Renjun ignores him in favour of spooning the last of his soup, even when Donghyuck starts to whine and manages to materialise enough to rub his head against Renjun’s cheek like a cat and not move right through him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can help this time, right?” Donghyuck giggles. He squeezes Renjun in a surprisingly tight hug, looking up at him with wide eyes, trying to convince Renjun. If Donghyuck was asking for anything else, Renjun might’ve caved a long time ago, but creating potions was tricky and only experienced witches could do it. If anyone else helped by adding even one ingredient, the potion’s effect immediately changed, and it could have serious consequences. Kun had already sat down both of them and warned Donghyuck not to interfere with them, but that didn’t stop him from begging Renjun every time he was going to make one. So far, Donghyuck hadn’t actually tried anything, but he still keeps a close on him just in case.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun looks at Donghyuck unamused, shaking his head and standing up to take both his and Jeno’s plates to the kitchen. Donghyuck huffs and sits down on Jeno’s lap, reaching up to pet him behind his ears. Jeno’s tail wags happily behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Junnie’s so mean, isn’t he, Jen?” Donghyuck whispers conspiratorially, though he’s loud enough that his words reach him anyways. Renjun scoffs when Jeno agrees, but clearly, he has no idea what they’re talking about, his attention enraptured by his phone. “I bet I could be a lot of help,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No one’s saying you won’t be, Hyuck,” Renjun answers, thoroughly cleaning all the ingredients they’ll be needing for the potion. Renjun would prefer not to do them in his own kitchen, but he doesn’t have enough money to rent a safer place, so he always makes sure to be extremely careful. “It’s just dangerous,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue anymore, disappearing from their view. Renjun hopes he doesn’t rip off his Itzy posters from his room because he’s angry or Renjun will find a way to banish him from the Earth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun sighs and shakes his head, focusing once again on completing the potion. He fills a pot with water and puts all the ingredients carefully, making sure nothing spills. When he’s done, he takes Jeno’s hand, who has come to stand beside him and closes his eyes. He searches inside him for his magic, letting it flow steadily onto the potion. Usually, he would’ve been able to do this alone, but Kun’s client required a highly complex one, and if Renjun did it on his own, he would risk collapsing from the amount of magic that it required.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s too focused on the potion that he doesn’t notice Donghyuck’s presence next to him, staring at the potion curiously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it done?” Donghyuck asks quietly, probably trying not to startle Renjun, but it doesn’t quite work. Renjun jumps in surprise, eyes flying open and making him cut the magic flow abruptly. Jeno catches Renjun in his arms when he wobbles uncertainty, disoriented after Donghyuck scares him. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck is cut off by the pot making a strange noise, closely resembling a scream. It’s not loud by any means, but Renjun must be sensitive because he groans and covers his ears, squeezing his eyes shut and letting Jeno drag them out of the kitchen. Donghyuck follows silently, floating around them awkwardly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The contents of the pot spill over its edges,  a black bubbly foam running down the sides of the pot and sticking to the cabinets. Somehow, it also climbs up to the wall and onto the roof, before it suddenly begins expanding, and the entire room gets swallowed up in black bubbles. Donghyuck doesn’t know how it gets contained only to the kitchen, but he doesn’t complain. The less mess, the better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if sensing their distress, a black hole appears in the middle of their living room, and Kun appears from it, with a worried frown on his features. He immediately walks towards Renjun, ignoring both his and Jeno’s respectful bow and kneels down in front of Renjun, taking his face in his hands. Donghyuck has to look away at the sight of Renjun’s hazy eyes, feeling guilty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun presses their foreheads together and looks straight into Renjun’s eyes until they regain their usual liveliness. Renjun blinks furiously a few times, before groaning and bringing a hand up to his head, feeling it throb painfully as he takes a deep breath. Jeno steps behind him to rest a hand against his shoulder for support.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun stands up and sighs, crossing his eyes and looking at Donghyuck expectantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, what happened?” He asks. He looks less angry than Donghyuck would’ve thought, but that doesn’t scare him any less. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not his fault,” Renjun answers before Donghyuck can even open his mouth. He massages his temples, looking up at Donghyuck and Kun tiredly. “He didn’t actually do anything, he just surprised me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Donghyuck apologizes, pouting down at the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun pinches his nose, clearly irked, but it seems as though he’s too tired to fight because he waves his hand at them and moves towards the kitchen, cleaning their mess with one swipe of his hand. Slowly, the foam retreats back into the pot and as soon as it’s all inside it, Kun puts his hand on top of it until it lights up. He removes his hand when the light dies down. He pours the potion inside a small vial and watches in awe as it gets swallowed up by the floor when Kun throws it. He wonders where it will appear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun comes back to the living room a moment later, helping Renjun stand up and wrapping both him and Jeno in a hug. Jeno is a bit taller than him, but Renjun is smaller and he gets swallowed up in their hug, making Donghyuck giggle as he floats around them. Kun presses a kiss to both of their foreheads and warns them to be more careful in the future, before turning to Donghyuck and asking him to take care of them. Donghyuck beams excitedly, nodding at Kun and promising to do his best. He ignores the incredulous scoff Renjun lets out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kun disappears again soon after, recommending Renjun to rest for a few weeks before attempting any magic again, just in case. Renjun isn’t too worried, he’s always been able to carry himself well without magic since he uses it mostly for work purposes only. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno guides Renjun to bed and flops down next to him, cuddling close and nuzzling against him. Kun had mentioned that being next to Jeno would certainly help him feel better and now he’s sure Jeno won’t ever let him out of his sight again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck follows them closely behind, laying down next to Renjun and laughing when he notices his eyes dropping tiredly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You okay?" Donghyuck asks quietly, just to be sure. He still doesn't know exactly what happened to Renjun or what he did to him, but he figures it's best to let Renjun rest now and ask later. What matters now is that Renjun is still with him and he doesn't want to inconvenience him any more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun hums and nods, smiling at Donghyuck before he takes one of his hands in his, squeezing it comfortingly. Donghyuck lets go of his hand moments later to run his fingers through Renjun's hair, lulling him to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It's not long before Renjun falls asleep, looking incredibly peaceful with Jeno's arm still wrapped tightly around him and his familiar's snores filling the room, but Donghyuck wouldn't trade it for the world. He pushes himself up to press a kiss to Renjun's forehead and another one to the top of Jeno's head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Donghyuck knows that ghosts stay on Earth because they have a purpose they have yet to fulfill, and though Donghyuck doesn't remember much about his past life or what made him want to stay on Earth, he hopes that whatever his mission is, he doesn't complete it any time soon. He wishes he could spend his entire ghost life with Renjun and Jeno. He wouldn't trade them for the world. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! </p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/itzypjs">twitter</a> ; <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/renhyuck">curiouscat</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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